MSI - Creator Z16P B12U 16" Touch-Screen Laptop - Intel Core i7 - 16 GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti - 1 TB SSD

This laptop competes in a class of thin, powerful laptops with great screens and premium build quality for content creation and light gaming. For the record, the B12UGST-042 model has an RTX 3070Ti. DISPLAY 9.5/10: +Extremely color accurate, bright +QHD screen; clarity over FHD; less power draw than 4K +165 Hz makes everything very smooth -High gloss leads to reflections and color shifts PERFORMANCE 9.5/10: +i7-12700H +DDR5 +NVMe PCIe 4 SSD (Some OEMs still use PCIe 3) +Everything launches quickly and smoothly +1080p webcam is an improvement -Out of the box, Windows was very glitchy. Required several software updates to be stable. KEYBOARD 9/10: +Good key travel and click +Tons of customization in the SteelSeries App +Mini-LED backlighting is excellent -Shrunken number pad and its unconventional layout TRACKPAD 2/10: -The "diving board" trackpad is one of the worst I've ever used. It's a great size, but one side feels loose, randomly sticks, and makes a crunching sound. BUILD QUALITY 8/10: +Extremely rigid metal body with no keyboard or screen flex +Hinges feel tight and smooth -Random flex and creaking from the bottom panel -Trackpad issues don't inspire quality BATTERY 5/10: -90 wHr is pretty weak for a laptop of these specs. Some similarly sized machines have 99 or 100 wHr. For browsing, it should be decent, but video and audio will drain it quickly. FANS/COOLING 9/10: +Vapor chamber cooling keeps it comfortable to use +Quiet during normal usage +Fans only ramped up in intensive tasks -Gets hot during prolonged intensive use AUDIO 8/10: +Speakers are very loud and clear -Speakers are down firing and easily get muffled on some surfaces COMPARISON TO DELL XPS 17: +Screen refresh rate and response is MUCH smoother +RTX 3070Ti at 90w beats an RTX 3060 at 60w +Keyboard is much more customizable +Includes USB Type A port +Stylus included +The Lunar Gray color is very cool +WiFi 6E support -Build quality is definitely not as good as the XPS -Screen bezels are much thicker and less sleek -90w battery vs 97w makes a difference -Down firing speakers can muffle vs upward Given the price of this machine, I'm quite disappointed. There are laptops that cost half of what this does that offer similar performance. When one pays this premium, the trackpad should be solid and there should be no creaks. It's a beautiful laptop that does a lot well, but in terms of premium build, the XPS 17 wins hands down. Last year's Z16 has crashed in price, which makes me wonder how well this will hold its value. Perhaps with improved quality control and a further price drop, this would be a winner but I can't recommend it in the current state.